A reader sent an inquiry a while back about some black ceramic cups we featured in a post, which sparked our fascination with La Chamba ceramics, a style from the Andean mountains of Colombia, where they've been made using the same methods for the past 700 years.

La Chamba pottery is made of locally mined clays containing mica, which allows the pieces to withstand heat; the pieces are burnished with smooth stones and then fired in small wood-burning ovens. All-natural and unglazed, they contain no toxins, are dishwasher safe, and retain heat well when cooking and serving.